Gestalt Build Ideas (Thrallherd/Fusion Optimization)

[patha787]

THE CONCEPT: Three+ characters in one.

Friends,

I'm about to start a 20th level high-powered gestalt campaign. All official sources (including Dragon and online WotC) are available and the DM is lenient (but fair) and experienced. The campaign is a bit of a lark and we're not taking things too seriously so the insanity behind this idea isn't going to ruin anyone's fun.

THE PLAYER CHARACTER (approved by DM)
Human male Factotum 8/Chameleon 2/Psionic Swiftblade 10//Spell to Power Erudite 10/Thrallherd 10
Intelligence based SAD, and between psionics and Factotum/Swiftblade, there is no such thing as action economy, and I have access to 9th level powers and 8th level spells (9th if cheese/abuse used). Plus access to all the usual psionic trickery (Supernatural Manifestation, infinite PP, etc). Used responsibly, of course. :smalltongue:

HOUSERULES:
Swiftblade is a psionic variant negotiated with the DM and the pre-reqs have been met etc.
Gestalt allows prestige class progression on both sides
Dual caster PrCs may be negotiated with DM approval

I was originally going to go Mind Mage (from Dragon) on the other side but ended up going Thrallherd instead.

THE EVIL PLAN
Use Fusion (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/fusion.htm) to fuse myself with my two optimized thralls and a metamind with temporal reiteration to make the fusion last on a 24/7 basis.

WHERE I NEED HELP/IDEAS
How should I build my thralls/followers?

- I need a Metamind to make Fusion last 24/7
- They need to be corporeal, living creatures in order to be fused
- NB: They're gestalt characters of appropriate level.

Apart from that, it's a free for all.

BASIC BRAINSTORMING - remember, thralls are gestalt too; these character types/ideas can (and probably should) be combined.
1. Another Intelligence based caster type
- Wizard? Incantatrix? Shadowcraft Mage? Dweomerkeeper? A combination of Tainted Scholar with Subverted Psion for immunity to taint and ridiculous taint-based casting? Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil?
- Archivist with Academic Priest feat to make SAD?
- Binder/Anima Mage?
- Metamind? Another StP Erudite? Psion?
- Psionic Artificer?
- Wu Jen?

2. A Wisdom based caster type
- CoDzilla?
- Planar Shepherd?
- Ruby Knight Vindicator?
- Dweomerkeeper?
- Metamind/Ardent?

3. Tome of Battle
- Shadow Pouncer build for multiple full attacks each round?
- Elf Revenant Blade/Eternal Blade/Lion Totem Barbarian/Ubercharger build for pouncing TWF attacks and ubercharge damage
- some sort of ridiculous combination of above?

4. Miscellaneous
- LA race buy offs with natural spellcasting abilities or huge ability boosts

THE REQUEST/SUMMARY
Friends, optimizers, gamers, lend me your ideas. :smallsmile:

Essentially, what we're building is a sextuple gestalt character, being the combined amalgam of three separate gestalt characters. More if other creatures (followers) are fused as well - the potential is infinite.

I look forward to hearing from you - thanks in advance to those who respond.

[patha787]

Having given it further thought, I'm thinking I'd like to make the thralls something along the lines of:

1st Thrall: An Elan (so that I take on its racial abilities and never have to sleep - this lets me keep Fusion up 24/7 and doesn't have a level adjustment; I'm also effectively immortal/unaging) divine caster on one side with Ruby Knight Vindicator thrown in//arcane caster or psionic manifester build. In an ideal world this would have WIS or CHA as the primary stat and be as SAD as possible (Fusion grants me the best ability scores of all my fused creatures, so it's better if my fused thralls have different primary stats). However, I need to fit Metamind in somewhere in one of the thralls to make the whole trick work. A Theurge of some kind perhaps?

2nd Thrall: An elf Revenant Blade/Eternal Blade or similar pouncing TWF power attack build with double scimitar//Shadow Pouncer build on the other side. The ideal goal of this character is multiple full attacks per round (each with as many attacks as possible) through shadow pouncing with massive power attack damage on top. No Frenzied Berserker as it'll limit my ability to use the myriad of spells/powers at my disposal. Primary STR, secondary DEX?

In an ideal world with something along these lines, I'd end up with a final fused character that had 9th level manifesting with all the psionic trickery, 8th level arcane spells which can be cast as powers, 9th level divine casting (in the case of Archivists, from any list) and DMM: Persist, possibly 9th level separate Arcane casting or additional psionic PP/powers/Metamind goodness if going that route, a ridiculous number/strength of melee attacks if I choose to enter melee, good overall HP/skill points/BAB/saves and three different high ability scores (likely INT, STR and probably either WIS or CHA).

Above all this, I'd have four separate ways to overcome action economy and make use of all my insane abilities:
1. "3.0 Haste" from Swiftblade
2. Psionic Schism/Hustle/Temporal Acceleration etc.
3. RKV - convert turn attempts into extra swift actions
4. Cunning Surge, which will likely be kept in reserve.

Thoughts?

Also, thoughts on followers?

SIDENOTE:
I know it's unrelated to min/maxing and all the optimization madness, but I really like the concept/roleplay possibilities of this character too. I'm imagining someone that's probably quite deranged from having to consistently cope with the strain of harboring these multiple personalities within himself (not to mention the experience/knowledge of the ancestors of the elven Revenant Blade if going that route). Lots of depth and variety to play with.

[Flickerdart]

Followers are generally useless except for Circle Magic abuse, so work Red Wizard or Hathran onto one of your Thralls. Or, you know, sacrifice them all to the various shinies from the BoVD.

[patha787]

REVISED THRALL IDEAS (build order not fleshed out, just final levels)
Thrall 1 - INT based caster
Archivist 5/Dweomerkeeper 10/Sacred Exorcist (slotted in somewhere as early as possible for DMM: Persist) 1/Something else 1//
Wizard 5/Incantatrix 3/Spellguard of Silverymoon 4/Shadowcraft Mage 5

Thrall 2 - WIS/CHA based RKV/Ardent/Metamind/Shadow Pouncer
Ardent 7/Metamind 10//
Cloistered Cleric 3/Swordsage 1/Crusader 1/Crinti Shadow Marauder 5/Ruby Knight Vindicator 7

Dual wield short swords (or Sunblades).

Thoughts?

[Flickerdart]

Thralls don't get their own WBL, so dual-wielding is going to get expensive fast. I wouldn't recommend it.

[Little Brother]

Make one an artificer. Burn through all its XP, then kill it. Get another artificer. Rinse, repeat.

Also, you get two bonus feats at first level as an erudite. Take the Favored Discipline ACF as well, taking the Magic discipline.

[patha787]

Make one an artificer. Burn through all its XP, then kill it. Get another artificer. Rinse, repeat.

Also, you get two bonus feats at first level as an erudite. Take the Favored Discipline ACF as well, taking the Magic discipline.

The first idea is fine.

The second won't work - I remember pitching this idea on the char op forums in the past but RAW it doesn't work, as you only have one bonus Erudite feat to give up, so it's one ACF or the other.

Also, it was agreed there isn't really such a thing as the Magic discipline (if you're referring to arcane spells cast as powers), they're just treated like a discipline for limiting what level of powers you can learn.